The Federal Communications Commission has considered four aspects of diversity: 1) Viewpoint diversity ensures that the public has access to a wide range of diverse and antagonistic opinions and interpretations provided by opportunities for varied groups, entities and individuals to participate in the different phases of the broadcast industry; 2) Outlet diversity is the control of media outlets by a variety of independent owners; 3) Source diversity ensures that the public has access to information and programming from multiple content providers; and 4) Program diversity refers to a variety of programming formats and content.
Diversity
Notice of Funding Opportunity: State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program
The subject of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)—the $60 million State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program—is part of the Digital Equity Act’s larger State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, the purpose of which is to promote the achievement of digital equity, support digital inclusion activities, and build capacity for efforts by States relating to the adoption of broadband by residents of those States.
Introducing the Tribal Broadband Planning Toolkit
BroadbandUSA’s Tribal Broadband Planning Toolkit provides the guidance, knowledge, and resources to design, implement, and then execute a broadband plan in Tribal communities. The toolkit outlines seven, common elements that serve as the building blocks of a Tribal broadband plan:
LA County Seeks Bids to Bring High-Speed Internet to Poor Black and Latino Areas
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's $65 billion in broadband funding is fueling a nationwide rush by state and local
Tackling Latinos' digital divide
The Hispanic Federation and Comcast NBCUniversal have partnered to help community organizations in 20 cities, including Philadelphia (PA), battle the digital divide that sets Latinos behind in the workforce.
Mayor Lightfoot Launches Chicago Digital Equity Council
Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the launch of the Chicago Digital Equity Council, a cross-sector, community-driven effort to understand and tackle the nuanced barriers to digital equity and close Chicago (IL)’s digital divide once and for all. Chicago’s digital divide is a racial equity issue. Through a comprehensive community engagement strategy, the Digital Equity Council will make recommendations to close this gap, reaching a state of digital equity where all Chicagoans have the digital skills, tools, and resources they need to fully participate in society, democracy, and the economy.
NTIA Awards Nearly $77 Million to Expand Internet Access in Tribal Communities
The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that it has awarded 19 grants as part of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. The grants, totaling nearly $77 million, are being awarded in 10 states – Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Louisiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Washington.
Black Churches Back Tech Neutral Broadband Buildouts
The Conference of National Black Churches, along with five other groups representing Black clergy and congregations, has called on the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) to allow the $40 billion-plus broadband subsidy money it is handing out to states to be used for whatever technology -- fiber, wireless, etc. -- best fits their communities. That came in a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and NTIA administrator Alan Davidson.
Tribal leaders are building a better internet from the ground up
Despite creating the predecessor of the modern internet, US broadband access has remained mired in mediocrity for decades, with Americans paying some of the highest prices in the developed world for spotty, slow connections and abysmal customer support.
Centri Tech Foundation awards more than $195,000 in innovation grants to digital equity organizations across five US cities
Centri Tech Foundation (CTF) announced that community development nonprofit organizations in five US cities were awarded more than $195,000 to foster programmatic innovations that promote a more equitable digital economy. Together, the grantees have demonstrated success in closing the digital divide in Boston, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington (DC).
Incorporating Equity Concerns in Regulation
US regulatory agencies have been required to consider the equity and distributional impacts of regulations for decades. This paper examines the extent to which such analysis is done and provides recommendations for improving it. The Technology Policy Institute (TPI) analyzed 187 cost-benefit analyses (CBAs) prepared by agencies from October 2003 to January 2021. TPI finds that only two CBAs provided net benefits of a policy for a specific demographic group.